The present invention relates to electric connectors of the type comprising at least one first and one second contact element which can be coupled to one another, wherein the first contact element is connected to a respective electric conductor, and wherein the second contact element is also connected to a respective electric conductor or else is a contact of a printed circuit board.
A conventional electric connector of the type specified above, which is able to form the connection between two electric conductors, is illustrated by way of example in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 1, number 1 denotes as a whole the electric connector, which comprises a first receptacle-shaped contact element 2 and a second plug-shaped contact element 3. The two contact elements 2, 3 are formed from sheet metal and can be coupled to one another in the state shown in the figure to form the electric connection. Referring to the example shown, each of the two metal contact components 2, 3 is carried by a respective plastics material casing denoted by 4 and 5 respectively. Furthermore, the distal ends of the two contact elements 2, 3 are respectively connected to the ends, which do not have the respective insulating sheath, of electric conductors 6, 7 each formed by a conventional strand of conductive metal wires, for example copper.
The total electrical resistance of an electric connection of the type illustrated in FIG. 1 is formed by three different components:                the “permanent” resistance, which is caused by the parts denoted in the figure by “RPermanent”, that is to say by the connections between electric conductors and contact elements, and corresponds to approximately 0.1% of the total resistance,        the “bulk” resistance, which is caused by the same contact elements 2, 3, denoted by “RBulk” in the figure, and forms the majority of the total resistance, and        the contact resistance, denoted by “RContact” in the figure, corresponding to the resistance caused by the contact between the two elements 2, 3, this resistance also being rather low at approximately 1% of the total resistance.        
The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an electric connector of the type specified above which has a considerably reduced total electrical resistance so as to reduce heating of the connector during use as a result, and which has the resulting advantage of reduced deterioration, a longer service life and a greater reliability of the connection.